Reconsidering American Art - tribalartmagazine.com · the Imperial House. The Dikers have been collecting Native American art for more than forty-fi ve years. Numbering more than

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FIG. 2 (below): Headdress frontlet. Tsimshian, British Columbia. C. 1820–1840. Wood, abalone shell, pigment, nails. H: 17.8 cm.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.81.

FIG. 3 (right): Valerie and Charles Diker, 2015.Photo courtesy of Valerie and Charles Diker.

FIG. 4 (far right): Tunic and leggings. Tlingit, Alaska. C. 1890. Cedar bark, mountain sheep wool, dye. Tunic, H: 119.4 cm; leggings, H: 38.1 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.40a–c.

FIG. 1 (left): Comb. Tlingit, Alaska. C. 1860. Wood, pigment. H: 8.9 cm. On loan from the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

the material is presented “as American art rather than tribal art.” The generous long-term instal-lation of one hundred and sixteen objects con-sisting of promised gifts, donations, and loans from the Dikers refl ects their belief in the poten-tial of these objects to broaden historical, cultur-al, and aesthetic understanding. The exhibition also embodies what the couple has achieved not only as collectors and stewards of Native Amer-ican artistic treasures but as true connoisseurs.

Max Hollein, the Met’s new director, recently commented, “The presentation in the American Wing of these exceptional works by Indigenous artists marks a critical moment in which conven-tional narratives of history are being expanded to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of cultures that have long been marginalized. The extraordinary gift of the Diker Collection has forever transformed the Met’s ability to more fully display the development of American art, enabling an important shift in thinking.”

October 4, 2018, marked a signif-icant milestone at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. On that day, historical Na-tive American art took its place in the museum’s American Wing in a new installation, Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection. The presentation represents the fi rst signifi cant display of Native art ever to be in-stalled in the American Wing, which has been devoted to Euro-American art since it was estab-lished in 1924.

Driven in large part by New York collectors and philanthropists Charles and Valerie Diker, this initiative is particularly important in that Native art has not been relegated to its own gal-lery but instead is now presented on an equal footing with Euro-American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts, together forming a complete panorama of the arts from the North American continent. As the Dikers succinctly described it,

By Gaylord Torrence

Reconsidering American Art Charles and Valerie Diker

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This shift has long been expressed in the Diker’s home. Chuck and Val Diker fi nd great joy in living with diverse forms of creative ex-pression—all engaged in active visual dialog. Native American works join those of modernist masters, including Arp, Miró, Picasso, Kandin-sky, Calder, and Noguchi. Other modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures by artists as diverse as Mark Rothko, Louise Nevelson, Julian Schnabel, Anselm Kiefer, and Agnes Mar-tin are found in the mix. An interest in American folk art is refl ected in another group of signifi cant objects. Historical and contemporary Japanese baskets are displayed throughout the apartment, together with an exquisite cluster of lacquer

boxes with Art Deco imagery created for the Imperial House.

The Dikers have been collecting Native American art for more than forty-fi ve years. Numbering more than 350 works, their col-lection is among the largest and most com-prehensive in private hands, and it is widely recognized for its uni-formly superb qual-ity. This is a notable achievement. Many Indian art collectors focus on a particular region or culture or

on singular forms of expression. In contrast, the Dikers have collected across an immense range of forms and traditions, maintaining a remarkable consistency of excellence in all they acquire. Together, the works in the installation represent the extraordinary artistic achievement of indigenous North American artists through-out the continent and across time. Named and unnamed artists from more than fi fty distinct cultural groups and seven regions spanning the United States and Canada—Woodlands, North-west Coast, Arctic, Plateau, Plains, Southwest, and California—are represented. An extensive range of forms is included: painting and drawing in a variety of techniques and materials; a body


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of sculptural works in wood, antler, horn, and ivory; pottery; textiles; an impressive concentra-tion of basketry; and an expansive grouping of beaded and quilled regalia. Most were produced against the backdrop of Euro-American colo-nization in the 1700s, 1800s, and early 1900s, and they express both the complexity, vibrancy, and variation of historical Native life and the dynamics of encounter.

In addition to their broad collection of singu-lar works, the Dikers have assembled concentra-tions in a number of genres. Their collection of contemporary Native American dolls has been featured at the Denver Art Museum, the Mont-clair Art Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian. They have also acquired a group of objects by contemporary Northwest Coast glass artist Preston Singletary.

A large and important collection of paintings and drawings by a group of American artists known as the Indian Space Painters from the late 1930s and 1940s is also signifi cant, and it is with these works that the historical Native American objects in the apartment perhaps res-onate most fully. The Space Painters sought to expand the visual language of European abstrac-tion to encompass an emotional dimension, and they were drawn to Native American forms as a source of inspiration. They were particularly interested in the forms of the Northwest Coast, which are rooted in the convergence of image, symbol, and myth.

The Dikers maintain they are drawn to Native American works principally from an aesthetic viewpoint, informed by the same sensibilities and criteria they would bring to a European or Amer-ican abstract painting or sculpture. Although they are aware of the deep cultural meanings and historical signifi cance inherent in many Native works, their primary criterion in selecting pieces is aesthetic merit—the related aspects of techni-cal quality, formal organization, and expressive power. As collectors, they seek advice and opin-ions from knowledgeable dealers, other collec-tors, auction houses, and scholars. In contrast to those collectors who rely on one or two dealers exclusively, the Dikers have worked with many over time, but there is no question that several of their fi nest works came from George Terasa-ki, Donald Ellis, and Gene Quintana. They have

also purchased actively from auctions, and they follow their own inclinations and vision when it comes to acquisitions.

During their early years of collecting mod-ern American and European works, the Dikers were introduced by a friend to Pre-Columbian art. They were struck by the sophistication of abstraction found in so many of the traditions; indeed, it helped them see European and Amer-ican painting and sculpture with a renewed and nuanced appreciation. It was also a transitional moment: With their fi rst purchase, they ventured into a world of collecting where the artist was unknown and one had to assess the work on its own merit in comparison with others of its kind. As Chuck has said, “We were collecting a culture, not a name.” The initial interest in Pre-Columbi-an works soon gave way to the art of indigenous North America, which felt more personally rele-vant since they live in the United States.

In 1972, Chuck and Val visited Santa Fe—the fi rst of many trips to the region—and during that trip they acquired their fi rst piece of Na-tive American art. For a number of years, they owned a home in the community, and they still attend Indian Market and the antique In-dian expos every year in August. In her essay in First American Art, Margaret Dubin cites an Apache basketry jar, purchased from a gallery in Taos, as the couple’s fi rst acquisition; today, Val recalls that it may have been, instead, the “pumpkin” pot—the Acoma jar featured on the cover of Frank and Harlow’s groundbreaking publication, Historic Pottery of the Pueblo In-dians: 1600–1880. Perhaps the two works were acquired on the same trip. In any event, an im-mersion into California basketry followed these fi rst acquisitions, including the purchases of a major piece by Louisa Keyser (fi g. 13) and an extremely rare Chumash “coin” basket (fi g. 11). Gradually the collection expanded into all re-gions, including top examples of most of the sig-nifi cant artistic forms of expression.

The Dikers have become widely known in the fi eld over the years for the depth and quality of their aesthetic vision. They fi nd great fulfi l-ment in sharing the collection with others and are deeply committed to its educational value. They are dedicated philanthropists who believe that great works of art should be available to

FIG. 5 (above): Atlatl. Alutiiq or Sugpiaq, Kodiak Island, Alaska. C. 1750–1780. Wood, walrus ivory. H: 48.9 cm. On loan from the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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FIG. 7 (left): Dance object. Yup‘ik, Alaska. C. 1900. Wood, pigment, vegetal fiber, feathers. L: 91.4 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.91.

FIG. 8 (above): Dance mask. Chugach, Alaska. 1860. Wood, pigment, vegetal fiber. H: 41.9 cm.On loan from the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

FIG. 6 (above): Dance mask. Yup‘ik, Alaska. C. 1900. Wood, pigment, vegetal fiber. H: 52.1 cm.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.100.


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FIG. 11 (left): Basket tray, by Juana Basilia Sitmelelene (Chumash, 1782–1832). Mission San Buenaventura, California. C. 1820. Dyed and undyed juncus stems. D: 46.7 cm. On loan from the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection.

FIG. 12 (right): First phase chief’s blanket. Diné/Navajo, Arizona or New Mexico. C. 1840. Handspun undyed and indigo-dyed Churro fl eece, raveled lac-dyed bayeta. 147.3 x 172.7 cm. On loan from the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection.

FIG. 13 (below right): Basket bowl, by Louisa Keyser (Washoe, c. 1831–1925). Carson City, Nevada. 1907. Willow and redbud shoots, bracken fern root, dye. D: 42.2 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.15.

FIG. 9 (left): War club. Pawnee, Nebraska. C. 1800. Wood, pigment. H: 68.6 cm.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.64.

FIG. 10 (above): Kiowa Chiefs on a Visit to the Agent, attributed to Julian Scott Ledger Artist B (Kiowa). Oklahoma. C. 1880. Pencil, colored pencil, and ink on paper. 19.1 x 30.5 cm.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.54.

the public and also preserved for future gen-erations. The collection was fi rst exhibited in 1998–2000 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art under the title Native Paths. This was followed in 2004–2005 with First American Art, co-cu-rated by Bruce Bernstein and Gerald McMaster, a major exhibition of more than 200 works at

the National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center in New York City. In 2015–2016, the American Federation of Arts organized Indigenous Beauty, guest curated by David W. Penney, and a select group of 122 objects traveled to four major museums in the United States. Each of the three exhibitions was accompanied by an illustrated publication, with entries and essays by distinguished scholars. Most recently, selected works from the collec-tion were on view at the Met in an exhibition titled Native American Masterpieces from the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection (October 28, 2016–March 31, 2017).

Although the Dikers’ promised gift of nine-ty-one works in 2017 inspired the move of Native art to the Met’s American Wing, the


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conversation began many years earlier. When Thomas P. Campbell became director of the Met a decade ago, he expressed a desire to bring Native North American art into greater prominence within the museum. He and, lat-er, Carrie Rebora Barratt ,associate director at the time, recognized that the Diker Collection with its tremendous range of forms and tradi-tions—essentially one masterwork after anoth-er—would provide a foundational basis to fur-ther the institution’s commitment to redefining the presentation of Native art and culture. This recognition led to discussions and, ultimately, the Met’s decision to move Native American art into the American Wing, a transition whole-heartedly embraced by both the donors and the institution.

CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER


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FIGS. 14a–c (this page): Installation views of Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection in the American Wing of the Met.© The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker CollectionThrough October 6, 2019The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Yorkwww.metmuseum.org

The Met is engaged with a group of advisors for the Diker initiative. Included are Kathleen Ash-Milby (Diné/Navajo), Associate Curator, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, New York; Ned Blackhawk (Western Shoshone), Professor of History and American Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Steven C. Brown, Program Specialist, Sealaska Heritage Institute, Juneau, Alaska; Elizabeth Hutchinson, Associate Professor, Art History, Barnard College and Columbia University, New York; and Brian Vallo (Acoma), Director, Indian Arts Research Center, School for Advanced Research, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The installation was organized at the Met by Sylvia Yount, Lawrence A. Fleischman Curator in Charge of the American Wing, and guest co-curated by Gaylord Torrence, Fred and Virginia Merrill Senior Curator of American Indian Art at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Marjorie Alexander, Curatorial Consultant. The installation of Art of Native America was designed by Daniel Kershaw, Exhibition Design Manager.

An illustrated catalog published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press accompanies the installation. Contributions include essays by guest curator Gaylord Torrence on the historical, cultural, and aesthetic dimensions of select masterworks; Yale historian Ned Blackhawk on the complexity of displaying historical Native American art in a contemporary museum setting; and Sylvia Yount on the signifi cance of introducing Native American objects into a department historically devoted to Euro-American art. Photography for the catalog was produced by Bruce J. Schwarz.


FIG. 15 (above): The Battle of the Little Bighorn, by Standing Bear/Mató Nájin (Minneconjou Lakota/Teton Sioux, 1859–1933). Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota. C. 1920. Pencil, ink, and watercolor on muslin. 91.4 x 268 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, gift of Valerie-Charles Diker Fund, 2017, inv. 2017.718.2.

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Beyond making their collection available to the public, the Dikers have contributed to the art world in other signifi cant ways. They have served as directors and trustees on the boards of several museums, including the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution from the time of its opening; they were also the found-ing chairs of the George Gustav Heye Center in New York. They served on the board of the Mu-seum of New Mexico Foundation, and Val, who has a background in dance, was a founding mem-ber of the board of directors of the New Mexico School for the Arts. Chuck has been a member of the Visiting Committee of the Harvard Art Mu-seum and funded the Modern Art Gallery at that museum. Since 2012, he has served as a trustee of the Guggenheim Museum. Most recently, the

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Three objects given by the collectors in 2016—a Haudenosaunee beaded bag and a Pomo basket, both by unnamed artists, along with a jar by Ma-ria and Julián Martínez of the San Ildefonso Pueb-lo—were fi rst displayed in the fall of the same year in the Met’s American Wing. Here, they were shown in conversation with contemporaneous Euro-American paintings and sculptures address-ing relevant historical and cultural themes. These pairings constituted the Met’s fi rst step in elevat-ing Native American art and presenting it as a fundamental part of North America’s cultural and artistic heritage. The new gallery in the American Wing that opened in October holds the potential of establishing the Met’s leadership in redefi ning how we as a culture envision North American art history and, with it, American history.


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FIG. 16 (right): Shoulder bag (missing strap). Anishinaabe, possibly Mississauga Ojibwa, Ontario, Michigan, or Wisconsin. C. 1800. Native-tanned leather, porcupine quills, dye, glass beads, silk ribbon, metal cones, deer hair. 30.5 × 22.9 cm.The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, promised gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, inv. L.2018.35.6.

Dikers were celebrated as recipients of the Amer-ican Federation of the Arts 2017 Cultural Lead-ership awards.

Over the past two decades, every time the Dikers’ Native American collection has been shown, new works are present, and this most recent installation is no exception. Seen here, the most striking acquisition since Indigenous Beauty is the magnificent Diné First Phase chief’s blanket (fig. 12), one of the finest of all known classic textiles.

Will the Dikers continue collecting? With new-found space in their apartment, they recent-ly acquired a painting by a surrealist master and, last August in Santa Fe, a magnificent Acoma pottery jar from the 1870s. The couple’s collect-ing trajectory that was set long ago is ongoing.



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Reconsidering American Art - tribalartmagazine.com · the Imperial House. The Dikers have been collecting Native American art for more than forty-fi ve years. Numbering more than